Posts Tagged ‘Star’

The combination of ideal conditions on Montagu Bay in Nassau, Bahamas, provided boats and a substantial prize purse brought out some of the very best Star sailors in the world for a week of intense competition. The end result found Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih on the podium, winning in a field that included a handful of past world champions and Olympic gold medalists. For this regatta, the team was utilizing Doyle’s latest M14+ Main, and J6R and J8H Jibs.

Surviving the qualifying and knockout rounds to triumph, the Americans won the second Star Sailors League Finals on Saturday December 6th in a thrilling finale that came down to the final run. They bested a field that included 2012 Olympic gold medalist Freddy Loof and crew Anders Ekstrom of Sweden; Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki of Poland; and Jorge Zarif and Henry Boening of Brazil. Over the course of the regatta, the Mendleblatt and Fatih won 3 races (of 9) in the qualifying series, then finished with a 2-1-1 in the finals to secure the victory.

Defending champion Robert Scheidt, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and crew Bruno Prada of Brazil were eliminated in the semifinal. Top-ranked Diego Negri and crew Sergio Lambertenghi of Italy were eliminated in the semis.

Four days of competition meant that after three days of qualifying, the top 11 teams from the elite field of 20 advanced to the quarter-finals. The winner of the qualifying round – Swedes Freddy Loof and Anders Ekström – went directly to the semi-finals, while the crews that qualified in 2nd to 11th positions advanced to the quarter-finals, with the best 6 going forward to the Semi. The Semi finals determined who got to sail in the grand finale, with only the top 4 advancing. The unique elimination arrangement made every race that much more important, and put an emphasis on performing under pressure.

“The first race we were feeling in danger for sure. Halfway up the first beat we were feeling ‘This isn’t good’, you know. We talked to each other and said ‘Let’s just stay calm here and keep working together and use our speed and get back’. And it worked. We were going well.”

The quarter-finals saw plenty of competition, with last year’s runners up, Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki leading early on in the race, only to have defending champions Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada of Brazil pass them on the run. But Kusznierewicz was back in front on the second windward leg and was able to hold it to the finish. Mendelblatt and Fatih were second and third place went to the Finn world champion, Giles Scott (GBR) and Steve Milne.

In the semi-final and final, however, Mendelblatt and Fatih appeared to put the afterburner’s on, to win back to back races against the very best in the Star class. “This was a race of a lifetime,” said Mendelblatt. “To beat guys like Freddy Loof, Mateusz Kusznierewicz, and Robert Scheidt and all the other guys who are here is incredible. We did not have any expectations coming in: only to sail our best regatta. And you know these guys beat me more times than I beat them in my career as a Star sailor. With Robert, I can count the number of times I beat him on one hand and I’ve been sailing against him for 25 years so it feels great to win this event.”

The wind for the final, a six-leg race, had shifted more to the north but was anything but stable. Mendelblatt was forced to tack out from under Zarif early one which would eventually prove to be a winning move, putting Mendelblatt ahead around the first windward mark.

On the third beat, Kusznierewicz sneaked ahead at the top mark and led down the final leg. All of the boat were withing striking distance, with the crews aggressively working the waves while trying to play every shift as well. Kusznierewicz appeared to have the win within grasp as the teams narrowed in on the finish line, only to have Mendelblatt and Loof, coming in on a tighter reach, sail in from leeward to take the first two places. Kusznierewicz, who was runner-up last year, finished third and the rookie, Zarif, was fourth.

“I’m really hoping that the Star Sailors League continues. I think it is fantastic. I think the Star boat obviously is bringing in the best sailors in the world still,” said Mendelblatt. “The format is excellent. It’s exciting, it’s great. I have no plans to sell my Star. I’m keeping my boat and I’m going to do some more Star regattas, for sure.”

Doyle One Design has been active in the Star class for a number of years, and this year’s Star Sailors League Finals is just the latest in a string of victories for Doyle’s Star customers. In November, Luke Lawrence and Joshua Revkin won the Schoonmaker Cup, while in October Tomas Hornos and Revkin placed 2nd at the Star North American Championship. and in July William Swigart and Fatih teamed up to win the Cedar Point Open for the Bedford Pitcher. Doyle’s success stems from a highly technical design process, on the water testing and constant refinements and customer service.

For full Results of the Star Sailors League Finals, please visit here.

This years Bacardi Miami Sailing Week featured some of the top international talent competing in a number of the most exciting One Design Classes. At the end of the Regatta, Doyle One Design customers came away with wins in the Star and Viper Classes, and secured a second place finish in the new J/70 class after a unfortunate start to the regatta.

Star Re-cap:

Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih got off to a rough start with an OCS in race one but, after five days of racing, were able to rebound with wins in the last two races to take home the Bacardi Cup. The regatta saw a wide range of conditions forcing teams to constantly adjust, making the win that much more satisfying against some of the Star class’ top competitors. “Winning the Cup again means a lot to me; it’s really great because winning any big Star regatta is not easy at all! I am very happy to have had Brian with me. He is a great crew and wanted to have his name on the Tito Bacardi trophy. The Bacardi Cup is a great event and now, with the addition of all the other classes, it’s even more satisfying.”

The regatta was also the debut of Doyle’s latest Star mainsail design, a new bi-radial cut which until now has not been proven in the Star class. After months of development, the new layout shows improved shape-holding through a wide range of conditions, in addition to being easily tuned. Jud Smith, head of Doyle One Design explains that “we moved to just two sections in the sail, each made up of radial panels. There are a number of benefits that we have realized – the radial bottom section helps handle the transition from the deepest parts of the sail into the clew smoothly while at the same time the radial gores in the clew help support the mast down low giving it a more even mast bend. Along the leech, the two radial sections essentially act as a catenary and evenly distribute the leech load.” The result is a very smooth, tunable sail that can perform in a wide variety of conditions.

Viper Re-cap:

Photo Courtesy Rondar Raceboats

In the competitive Viper Class, Brad Boston, Eric Vigrass and Shannon Bush sailing as Team Jackpot were able to win the regatta by winning 3 of the last 4 races, giving them a solid victory in a hotly contested class. Despite trailing early in the regatta, the strong finish helped them jump past some other past champions in the class. The sails he utilized were the standard Doyle sails that have proven durable and easy to trim for a number of years now.

J/70 Re-Cap

The J70 fleet of 20 boats got in 9 races over 3 bright sunny days on Biscayne Bay for Bacardi Miami Race Week March 7-9. After just one shortened light air race the first day, the breeze filled in for the last two days, blowing 6-15 knots to get in 8 races. Eight of the twenty boats did not make the time limit in the first race when the wind shut off which was an unfortunate starting point for many of the contenders. Saturday featured a NW to NE wind that gradually built to 10 -12 knots as it shifted to the right. Sunday the NE breeze shifted right again during the morning race 7 before settling in from the E-NE with some puffs that featured one planing leg.

Going into the final day of racing both Brian Keane and Will Welles had a commanding lead over the pack and appeared unreachable. There was still a group of 4 boats with a realistic shot at a podium finish. The race committee hailed that they were going to attempt to sail three races that day. Doyle customers Peter Duncan, Mark Ploch and Amy Neill started strong on the final day, rounding the first mark 1, 2 and 3. Brian Keane just beat out Ploch to win and Duncan got third after being caught on the persistent shift on the run. Wells caught back up to 8th but that still gave Keene a big cushion going into the last two races.

Photo Courtesy Larry Suter

Off the line on Race 8 the usual suspects were in the front row but Wells was OCS and had to go back. Duncan and Neill were 1,2 at the first mark again and Duncan held onto win Race 8 with Keane second allowing him to clinch the regatta win. Welles was unable to get back in contention and sailed his throw-out. Going into the final race Duncan was only one point behind Wells with four boats within 5 points of second. So 2nd – 5th overall came down to the last race.

At the start of race 9, the wind shifted left and the fleet tacked onto port on a big lefty. Wells rounded 6th with Duncan in 7th. The fleet planed off on starboard for the first half of the run which allowed Duncan to get inside of Wells and jibe to windward. Duncan covered Wells on the second beat and run to the finish to clinch second place on a tie breaker.

Amy Neill sailing “Nightmare” from Chicago with Rich Sterns , John Baxter and Zach Mason had two 6th place finishes on the last day to clinch a 13th overall. This was Amy’s first time ever steering or skippering any boat in any regatta. Amy used the same Doyle One Design sails as Duncan and Ploch and showed some of the greatest upwind speed straight out of the blocks.

Congratulations all around on a competitive regatta!

Doyle sails dominated the 2012 Schoonmaker Cup – the first regatta of the Star Winter Series – taking 1st, 2nd, and 5th. Picture-perfect sailing conditions greeted the 15-boat Star fleet on Saturday morning, with a 10-12 knot breeze and warm weather. The 15-boats represented a 75% increase from the 2011 fleet.

“We couldn’t be happier with the turnout for the Schoonmaker, which has struggled to attract more than 8 or 9 boats in recent years,” said Biscayne Bay Fleet Captain Stu Hebb, founder of the Star Winter Series. Hebb hopes to see similar growth throughout the season. “We’re excited to see the fleet continue to grow now that there’s a high-profile, low-cost series available to Star sailors throughout the Northern winter.”

The 2012 Star Western Hemisphere Championship was held May 16th through the 19th in Annapolis, Maryland at the Annapolis Yacht Club. Doyle Sailmakers’ Tomas Hornos won the 30-boat fleet 2012 Star Western Hemisphere Championship with 19 points, 1 point ahead of Peter McChesney and Shane Zwingelberg.

On Friday evening, Hornos was leading after 6 races. On Saturday, two attempts were made to run race 7 at the minimum allowed length. However, both attempts were abandoned as the time limit for the first leg expired, due to the 1.6-1.8 knot adverse ebb current boosted by the opening of the Conowingo dam on the Susquehanna. Hornos’ lead from the first 6 races held and he claimed the silver star.

Mark Mendelblatt (Miami, Fla.) and Brian Fatih (Miami, Fla.) won a bronze medal in the Star Class at the 2011 Perth Worlds, earning them the USA berth at the 2012 Olympics in Weymouth. Read the interview after their selection to the Olympic Team: Harken: Interview Mark Mendelblatt, StarPhoto Credit: Leandro Spina

In an exciting finale to the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championship, Mark Mendelblatt (Miami, Fla.) and Brian Fatih (Miami, Fla.) won a bronze medal in the Star Class. Mendelblatt and Fatih qualified for the country and earned them the USA berth at 2012 Olympics in Weymouth.

Photo Credit: Leandro Spina

“We’ve been working hard and training hard, and it’s all coming together,” said Fatih soon after arriving back at the dock.

Dana Paxton explains: The Star duo started ahead of the German and Swedish teams, but at the gate, both teams passed the top Americans when Mendelblatt chose the wrong lane. The Swedish needed to put two boats between them, but Mendelblatt went on to explain that if he could hold them out they would medal. “Plan A was to get the silver and it was going well halfway down the run, but the mistake I made down at the bottom put us into plan b for the bronze,” said Mendelblatt. “Even though we finished last, we made sure they finished second to last.”

Utilizing innovative 3D modeling and rigorous testing, Doyle’s Technology Team continues to develop fast, winning Star sails. Designed and assembled in the USA, Doyle sails will proudly power Mark Mendelblatt and Brian Fatih in the 2012 Olympics.

Congratulations to Tomas Hornos for winning the Star District 12 New York State Championship. The New York State Championship was held Saturday July 16 and Sunday July 17th on Seneca Lake with 23 boats from 4 districts competing. The tight competition included past Olympic silver and bronze medallist Hans Fogh from Canada, 6 time Silver Star winner John MacCausland from New Jersey, many time Canadian champion Brian Cramer and the current District 12 Champion Terry Line.

The conditions on both days were similar explains Tomas Hornos, "hot high pressures with about 10 knots in the morning, which was a residual cold mountain breeze that fills in at night and dies by mid-day, followed by really inconsistent fluky land thermals that made for lots of lead changes." The race committee got in 2 races on Saturday and 3 on Sunday.

According to Tomas, "The regatta came down to the last race with John MacCausland, Brian Cramer and myself all within a point of one another, so we match raced each other for the title. I ended up tied with Brian, because he beat me by one place at the finish and John was deeper." Tomas won the tie breaker to win the 2011 Star District 12 New York State Championship. "Five races, good friends, great food and a club that really enjoys hosting regattas, what a wonderful weekend."